Much ado about shengnu

Groups of parents gather in parks to swap stats on their children. Shi Yan / For China Daily

Batches of bachelors

Leftover women or an unappreciated feast?

The figures are much higher in comparable countries, such as Asian nations with similarly traditional values.

More than 39 percent of Japanese women in their early 30s remain unwed. It's nearly 22 percent in South Korea and more than 28 percent in Singapore.

Looking westward, the figures exceed 38 percent for the United States. And more than half of British women in the age bracket remain single.

Reports say most Chinese shengnu are concentrated in metropolises like Beijing and Shanghai, where development is on par with wealthy countries.

Beijinger Amy Yang shows that shengnu aren't necessarily as materialistic they're sometimes made out to be.

Yang's boyfriend is less successful than her - far less.

And she's happy with him. But her parent's aren't.

"My family and friends try to arrange matchmaking sessions for me," the 31-year-old says.

She was scheduled to meet another potential suitor the weekend she was interviewed.

"My boyfriend isn't a graduate. He draws a salary of about 4,000 yuan ($660) a month," she explains.

"If not for my parents and societal pressure, I'd be content with just being with him or even staying single."

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